Return of Sasuke
by Kakashi The Most Awesome
Summary: Sasuke has returned to konoha dragged by one hyuuga neji, has he changed as much as he seems, will kakashi's new anbu team flourish, or will a certain uchiha destroy it! neji/sakura sasuke/hinata
1. Capturing a Traitor

Chapter 1, Sasuke returns – team Gai to the rescue

(Neji POV)

We had just finished a rather stressful mission. Easy! Yes, but stressful.

A very wealthy business man had paid for an A rank mission to accompany his daughter back home after her visit to the land of fire, he was so sure that somebody wanted to kidnap her because of her immense beauty.

'Yea right' I thought Tenten was more beautiful when she was having a bad hair day.

So naturally he wanted the best protection that money could buy. He got team Gai. Although there were those who didn't think us the best team I still felt confident in MY abilities.

Our team was one of the most interesting combinations…

Our sensei Matio Gai, aka the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha! This of course is a self awarded name and other than his young protégé, no one refers to him as such. The ladies have often referred to him as a beast, but I'm not quite sure that the nick names have quite the same connotations.

Then there was always Gai's bowl hair cut, bushy browed, spring time of youth obsessed, look-a-like, protégé, Rock Lee! He isn't at all related to Gai, but takes after him in so many ways that it scares people, even me! Luckily their slightly more ordinary team mates, Tenten and I were used to all their oddities, everything from the bad hair and bushy brows, to the long speeches regarding the spring time of youth.

The only normal person on the team other than myself is Tenten, a fearless weapons specializing Kunoichi. She is a feared enemy, as she has an immense knowledge of any weapon that may be used against her, and her impressive and creative ability leave enemy Shinobi stunned.

Then there's me, Neji, the Hyuuga genius, or so I'm told, I'm a master of the Byakugan, and the techniques that go with it, such as the gentle fist, eight tri-grams palms heavenly spin and eight tri-grams sixty four palms. I try to stay cool and collected, unlike my other team mates; it's surprising I pull it off. My Byakugan enables me to see things that my team mates would not or could not see; I have an amazing 360 degrees vision and can sense anything within a 50 meter radius, on a bad day. Not to sound too cocky but I am that good!

It was during our lunch break that it happened.

I felt a presence of chakra as I prepared myself to activate my Byakugan; I quickly realized that I defiantly didn't need it.

There before us was none other than Uchiha Sasuke I was so ready to murder that bastard.

Sasuke was a feared adversary for any ninja, a former ninja of Konoha. I had always hated him but at the time I at least had some respect for him. He was once friends with us, well sort of. He was closer to Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzamaki than any of us. Sakura had even professed her love for him and yet he chose power of her and left her beaten on a bench.

Now I never much cared for her but the fact that any man could do that was so beyond me, and I hated him for it. At one point he was lee's chosen rival, instead of me, another reason I hated him for leaving!! He thrust this fate upon me!

And once a long time ago both lee and I had fought to our very limits to bring him back from the darkness. My team mates and I had fought to the point of death to rescue him, who had committed treason!

I hate him with such and intensity it's unreal. He had tried to kill the one who had saved me from the darkness and couldn't care less for the comrades that risked their lives to help him. To me and most of Konoha he is scum. Not was ... IS!

This, I think, clearly explains why my blood began to boil at the mere sight of it, I really can't see him as a person anymore, the fact that he left to join Orochimaru, also an ex-Konoha Shinobi, the man who killed the third Hokage, attempted to bring Konoha to the ground, the sick and twisted ninja that kidnapped Shinobi and performed experiments on them for his own grandeur and gain, it makes me seethe with anger!

Activating my Byakugan I begin to attack him, full force, holding nothing back, and pure hatred flowing through my body as my not so soft fists knocked him into a nearby tree, it burst into splinters on impact.

He picked himself up and approached me in his white and blue kimono with the Uchiha clan insignia on the back.

I notice his stance, not one of attacking but defending, At first it bothered me that he did nothing but I quickly over came that and resumed my attack.

Both Ten-ten and lee following my queue and stand up and take on their own aggressive stance. Lee slowly bent down and removed the weights on his legs.

I noted the look on his face; he's petrified, I could see it! How very amusing; I allowed a rare smirk to grace my lips.

Lee sprang forward as Sasuke struggled to dodge all his hits and quickly activated his Sharingan; his red eyes gleaming in the noon sun, dodging each hit. I had to say that it was quite impressive.

He just managed to avoid a well aimed kunai from Tenten. She was creative, and this just proved it! It's very hard to hide anything from the Sharingan, but our captain, Gai, had us train against Kakashi, also a Sharingan user, this enabled Tenten to develop a Jutsu that would mask the chakra signature attached to her kunai, rendering poor Sasuke useless, he noticed it at the last minute and dodged the fatal hit.

'Black eye, broken nose, broken ribs, ruptured spleen.' I counted the injuries that we had caused the Sharingan user. But he gave as good as he got.

As I was striking his chakra points he was eventually unable to use his Sharingan. I jumped forward to attack.

"It can't be this easy to beat Uchiha Sasuke?!" I heard our sensei mumble to himself.

"What?!" I said in disbelief "I don't care I'm going to kill him" I yelled in my anger. I wanted him dead…he deserved it after all right?

As my concentration was disrupted for a moment Sasuke got in one swift kick to the face, I go flying across the ground.

"This could be a trap Neji! Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement!" he pointed out what really was obvious, but at this point I didn't care, I wanted to beat him black and blue! So I jumped up and resumed my attack.

'Ok so my judgement is clouded, but I don't really care right now!' Why couldn't he see that the guy deserved to die? However eventually I knew that my better judgement would cause me to give in, so he has his way, as it was the correct thing to do!

It took some time to restrain the Uchiha, but eventually we had him weapon less and tied securely. Tenten made sure she got all the weapons! I think that they are added to her private collection, we began to escort him back to Konoha! Well I say escort... I mean drag!

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Genma looked drowsy at his post as we approached the Konoha gate.

He looked like he was just getting comfortable when we came into view. According to his records it had been a simple escort mission. But I could see the confusion on his face when he noticed a prisoner

As we got closer he could tell it was Uchiha Sasuke that was bound at the hands and weapon less, the look on his face was priceless, shock, then rage and then frustration at the amount of paper work that this would indefinitely cause him! I laughed on the inside, for once it wasn't me!

"This is so troublesome" I heard him mutter the Shikamaru's catchphrase "All because he can't get to a bloody shift on time" He continued to moan. I guessed that either Kakashi or Shikamaru were due to start their watch.

"Team Gai" Genma addressed us, obviously quite aggravated at the extra work he now had.

"I suppose I'll need to escort you to the Hokage?" he drawled not hiding his annoyance in the slightest. It wasn't our fault but I guess he was tired and cranky!

"When did your shift end?" I asked with amusement

"2 hours ago" he replied irritably

"Is it Shikamaru or Kakashi who's late?" I continued amused.

"Shikamaru san! … I swear he's becoming more and more like Kakashi every day" Genma stressed "he's even started with those Icha Icha novels, not that Ino is impressed"

He was slightly smirking now just the thought of Ino harassing him about his literature of choice amused him. I think it amused everyone in the village; Sakura recounted numerous stories of Ino scolding him for one thing or another!

Getting back to business he got out the mission report sheets and some other documents, probably to document the capture of an S rank criminal.

Tenten offered to cover till Shikamaru turned up so that Genma could deal with the Hokage and then head straight home to bed.

The streets of Konoha were deserted this early in the morning 'it was probably for the best' I thought 'the uproar from the Uchiha's Return would be huge'

We walked straight to the Hokage's office and waited as Genma explained the situation to a very tired and very angry Tsunade.

She won't be happy to have been woken up this early! Not that you could blame her 3:00 am was very early! Hell I bet she didn't even know 3 had an am! After 10 minutes of waiting and listening to a very unimpressed Hokage, we were escorted into the office; she sat there staring at the Uchiha before her, her blank expression unreadable.

"Gai, Lee, Neji, your free to go, hand in a report for your mission tomorrow each of you and on the capture of the Uchiha" she said not even giving him his name

"And…This is top secret, if I find any of you spills the beans on Uchiha's return you all get kindergarten duty for a week and the only missions you will ever receive if your lucky will be D rank for the rest of your miserable lives."

There was finality in her tone that said leave, leave now … and quickly! So we did! I wasn't going to question her, last time Naruto did that he ended up with kindergarten duty for a week, which might not seem that long, but it is!! Kids are...So...energetic not to mention annoying and needy! Do you know how awkward I felt when a little girl ran up to me crying her eyes out cause someone pulled her hair... she HUGGED me!!!

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(Sasuke POV)

I stood in front of the Hokage of the hidden leaf village, despite the early hour she certainly looked awake now. I knew I was going to have a hard time convincing her that I was trust worthy. Her steely glare never left my face. I knew exactly what she was thinking.

'How could he have let his friends risk everything over and over to bring him back, and then just turn up out of the blue like this?' she would be rambling in her head. She would be a hard nut to crack

Then there were the emotional wounds that I had caused those closest to me! They were not that easy to forgive. Sakura had offered me everything to keep me in Konoha,. and considering I heard that Tsunade became Sakura's sensei I don't think it would go down well that I threw it in her face and the fact that I had disregarded the sacrifices of my friends, well that wouldn't be too popular either.

Over and over again I did this to Naruto and Sakura when they tried to rescue me from the clutches of Orochimaru; I went there voluntarily, why would I need rescuing? The fact that I had continued this after I left Orochimaru wasn't going to help my case either. Suddenly gaining the forgiveness of the Hokage didn't seem like the best idea in the world.

They had never changed, their goal remained the same; They fought for me like I was captive, not like I had willingly left the village and committed treason and attempted to murder them over and over, just for good measure. Just as I never changed, always striving to be better than Naruto and continuing to thwart their rescue missions.

"So," Tsunade broke off my thoughts.

"Why is it your back in Konoha?" she glared at me as she spoke her features didn't soften even for a second.

'Why?' I Thought, there were many reasons that I could give, 'Best to keep it simple' I concluded to myself.

"I only ever left for my revenge," I answered, no sign of emotion, I was calm and collected. "And I have that now."

'There it is in a nutshell' I thought to myself casually.

"I -" I began and stopped suddenly thinking of how to word such an awkward statement.

"I… I remember Kakashi sensei talking to me about my revenge." I stopped expecting this to be enough of an explanation. But she of course had no idea what it was that Kakashi had said to me. I of course had to elaborate. A crease grew between my brows as I tried to find the right words; I bowed my head as if in shame.

"He told me that revenge won't change anything. That it would leave me feeling empty; it doesn't make anything any better." I stopped again just as suddenly as before, my eyelids pressed tightly closed, my face intense as I finished what it was I had to say,

"As he died, nothing changed, just like Kakashi had said, the pain I had felt all my life didn't go away, and that's all I ever wanted… Kakashi was right… My revenge was meaningless."

I stopped, hoping that his small emotional revelation would be sufficed for the Hokage. Unfortunately, it was not. She wasn't buying it. I could tell she saw a flaw in my story.

"If my knowledge is correct Sasuke; you killed Itatchi two years ago, if this emotional revelation of yours drove you back here, to the ones you care about." She paused trying to catch my eye. I wouldn't let her catch the shocked expression on my face.

"Why did it take you so long?" She spat the words out like venom.

"Did you get lost?" She mocked me.

"Pride." I bowed my head not wanting to show my face.

"To admit to my friends that I had shunned them for nothing and that they had been right all along." I finished, thinking 'Was that enough? Well male pride isn't exactly the best excuse for treason was it but I had nothing else.'

"I…I didn't want to let Kakashi know that he had been right."

I finally lifted me head to hers our eyes finally meeting. "It's not the best excuse, I know, but it's the truth. Now I can admit that I was wrong and except any and all consequences for my actions." I fell to my knees bowing before the Hokage my face flat to the floor. That should help me out slightly!

A smile played across her lips.

She opened a draw at her side and rummaged through apparently trying to locate a specific file or document. Slightly confused wondering if she had accepted my words, or if it was seppuku for me.

"This is Naruto's complete missions file," She looked at me, who was still feeling rather puzzled.

'What does this have to do with anything?' I thought.

"As he was assigned or hijacked any mission that involved you, his missions reports are the most reliable record of your crimes against Konoha." She explained herself

She opened the file and flicked through to a divider labelled: 'Missions involving Uchiha Sasuke.' This section was rather large. There was a certain amount of pride that just swelled up when I saw that file devoted to my actions. I understood the importance of the file now and waited patiently for a response from Tsunade.

"From the first mission, I can see that you had reasons for leaving Konoha, to gain power from Orochimaru with the sole purpose of surpassing your brother Itatchi Uchiha and avenging your family."

Tsunade paused not letting her expression reveal any of the thoughts she was having. "I can also see that despite your tough talk, you had the opportunity to kill Naruto. But you didn't."

Her expression didn't give anything away she didn't expand on her thoughts; she just left it at pure fact as she leafed through the various reports. I didn't know what to think, was it good news? Or bad?

"Looking at these reports, despite the fact that you joined forces with Orochimaru, you never actually participated in any of the crimes that he committed. You just watched them, you didn't actually commit them. Although, I still believe this to be as bad as the act itself, the only charge we have against you is treason and attempted murder."

Tsunade was clearly baffled by her discovery. The pride I felt earlier deflated!

"Luckily for you, this will reflect in your sentence. However, you will be rigorously interrogated about your actions before and after you left Konoha."

Tsunade sat there; considering the situation that she was in, unlucky for me, she would have to make a decision herself, as Shizune and Sakura were not here to keep her in check. She could be as outrageous as she wanted and there was no one to stop her!

"Sasuke, Ideally, what would you like to do with your life now?" She posed the question

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had not expected Tsunade to offer me my freedom on a plate. Was this some sort of test?

"I would work for Konoha as a Shinobi." I was worried as I could see the cogs working overdrive.

She got up from her desk with a slight smirk.

I was very worried as the Hokage wasn't exactly known for being reasonable or responsible.

Tsunade left the room for a few moments and talked to one of the guards.

I thought that I heard the guard walk off just before she entered the room again, the same smirk in place.

"Your punishment will be unique to you Sasuke. I have thought hard about it. What would teach you a real lesson? It will be in two parts; the first is merely to ensure that you can actually be trusted; the second is what will teach you a lesson. I mean really teach you a lesson." The smirk reappeared.

"If you survive the first part we'll talk about the second." She added coldly. I didn't want to know what it is that she had in mind.

Authors note- this story has been posted before, but it was by me, I just felt it needed a lot of improvements so here it is chapter 1

Please review


	2. Fighting the Dreams

(Sakura POV)

I stood across from Kakashi, my sensei and my father figure; Panting and sweating from an intense work out.

Kakashi had taken care of me since I was 13 years old.

Shortly after Sasuke left both of my parents died during an S class mission and I had no other family. I didn't know what to do. Of course Kakashi stepped in. He did after all have a soft spot for his first pupils, the first to pass his test, and especially for me, or maybe he was just more protective of his female student?

I couldn't afford to continue renting my parents house as I was only a Genin and D and C mission don't exactly pay well. So Kakashi took me in and gave me a new home with a new room. He looked after me.

I often cried for my family and Kakashi was there to hold me and comfort me until I fell asleep and I became stronger I got through my grief! We became so unbelievably close you would think we were really father and daughter.

I often spend nights awake, worrying about him when he was due home from a mission, wondering if what happened to my parents would happen to him, but he always returned and I checked him over.

As my medic Nin skills increased I became like a personal medic, he hates hospitals and I was the only one he allowed to treat him.

Today however Kakashi was training me for my upcoming Jonin exam. He was being hard on me as usual, after all Kakashi was a fan of tough love. He didn't hold back at all hence my exhaustion; this could also be due to the weights that Kakashi had me wear during my training.

"Sakura" he interrupts my thoughts.

"It's all very well having that amazing strength, but if you're not fast enough to actually hit me, there's no point to it." He continued

Kakashi again told me straight, tough love and all that! He didn't dress things up pretty for anyone, especially not me. A key saying of his, 'otherwise how will you learn?'

"In all fairness, I have a hell of a lot of weights I'm carrying around. I would be faster if you would let me take them off." I stressed my completely useless point! I'm just so aggravated that I can't beat him.

"That would defeat the point of having them on, though, wouldn't it?" Kakashi looked at me expecting an answer.

"Taking them off will only undo all the work you have done through the weight training, wouldn't it? Just think if you can beat me with them on, what can you do when you take them off?"

Kakashi was clearly smiling under his mask. I just stood there with lee style weights in my long boots, the hems of my shorts, strapped around my stomach and in my arm bands. I remember the day that he gave them to me, I thought it was joke! I mean who gets body weights for Christmas!!

"Okay Kakashi maybe you're right; but only a little bit, got it!" I had to admit defeat he was so much smarter than me, I really would be a whole lot stronger and faster when he finished this weight training with me.

I couldn't wait to become Jonin; I would be able to pursue my dream of becoming a Medic Nin in ANBU. It was my dream to join and to train ninja in medical Jutsu so that one day every Shinobi team would have Medic Nin. I guess I kind of picked that part of my dream up of my other sensei Tsunade, who I'm also very close to. If Kakashi is daddy then Tsunade is mummy!

If Medic Nin's were on every team, more Shinobi would come back from missions instead of dying on the battle field. My parents could have survived if one of them had had medical training. Minor injuries caused them to die of blood loss! I wanted to prevent more needless deaths. It was my Nindo, my ninja way!

(No POV)

Sakura slept fitfully her sleep was interrupted by the usual dreams of a long lost friend. Her night mares always started the same.

She was lying peacefully in her bed at the moment enjoying the happiness that she has rarely felt since that day.

**But the scene takes a dramatic change as Sasuke just freezes at the sound of Naruto's voice, it's like he's somewhere else. Then all of sudden Sasuke knocks the plate from Sakura's hand and he had a face like thunder. **

****

"Naruto Fight me! Right now!" Sasuke spat the words out at Naruto with an anger that had obviously been brewing.

Sakura's body stiffened where she lay shocked at Sasuke's violence towards her, she flinched.

**Naruto tries to smooth things over and Sakura relaxes slightly at the hope that it would work.**

"Huh? What are you saying you've just been treated by old lady Tsunade?"

It seemed like it would work to Sakura at the time. Maybe Sasuke meant that he wanted to train not fight. Maybe Sasuke knocking the plate like that had been an accident? Not real violence, Sasuke wouldn't do that! That same naivety possessed Sakura again.

How wrong Sakura was!

Her body flinched again in her sleep as Sasuke shouted in her dream

**"I don't care! Just fight me!!"**

****

She was so shocked she whispered his name under her breath in shock 

****

"Sasuke- kun?"

****

"You think you saved me? I don't care if she's the fifth Hokage, Doing unnecessary things" He spat

****

Sakura watched in horror as Sasuke leaped out of bed to challenge Naruto. The naivety of her youth gripped her again 'Maybe he'd had too many pain killers, he's just not himself' Naruto stood prepared.

****

Sasuke stood by his bed, he has an aggressive stance, ready to fight! 

****

"You said before you wanted to fight me didn't you? I said I'd fight you right here right now! Or are you afraid!"

Sakura hugged herself in her sleep trying to hide from her memories

**she couldn't stand there and watch even if this was just mere competitiveness he had just been healed of serious injuries he couldn't get hurt, Naruto would take it too seriously! **

"S-Sasuke-kun what's wrong? Naruto say something. Why so suddenly?"

****

Naruto didn't say anything he stood there grin on his face like it was his birthday, but Sasuke had pure anger written on his features. Finally Naruto spoke, but it wasn't what Sakura wanted to hear.

****

"Perfect timing, I was just itching to fight you!" Naruto had a grin on his face, 'I know he wants to prove himself to Sasuke, but NOW! This wasn't the best time Sasuke was in recovery!'

"Why don't you two just cut it out, okay?" She was so relieved when she said that Sasuke's face seemed to relax some of the anger left his features. 

Sakura's sleeping form seemed to relax as she expected the happiness from the start of her dream to resume they would start joking about now! Make plans to reveal Kakashi sensei's face! If only.

**"Follow me." Sasuke said he walked past Sakura not even seeing her and trod all over the apple she had been cutting up for him moments ago.**

****

Sakura knew that something wasn't quite right now! This wasn't just training and it wasn't just competitiveness, it was something deeper and she couldn't lay her finger on it. 

Sakura's body wrestled against her quilts as she tried to ward off what she knew would be coming.

**The image flashed in front of her face! What was Sasuke becoming? His face hovered in front of hers, his face was overwhelmed by Orochimaru's curse mark, and the memories of his brutal actions played in her mind! The evil grin he had wore as he mercilessly broke the sound ninja's arms! He had gone too far! Would he do it again! Would he really hurt Naruto, seriously hurt him. She hurried to follow them.**

They were on the roof of the hospital now, it was a sunny day and the wind was blowing the sheets that were there. They Sakura stood at the entrance to the roof watching the scene unfold.

****

They walked through the lines of sheets and stood opposite one another. Each had a different purpose, a different intention for the fight. 

**Naruto wanted to finally prove to Sasuke that he was worthy he wanted to fight a friendly fight with his first real friend. **

**Sasuke wanted to prove to himself and to Naruto that, Naruto wasn't worthy and that he was the better ninja!**

****

They both waited for the other to make the first move! Naruto was excited about his chance, his opportunity to prove that he was worthy! Sasuke wanted to kick the crap out of Naruto to simply cure his own insecurities! That's when the insults started to fly.

"You, you dumbass! Why are you so full of yourself?" Sasuke was clearly agitated about Naruto's growing ability in the ninja way! 

****

But Naruto finally had some sincere confidence in his ability and could see Sasuke's nerves coming through. 

****

"Ha! You, who has always been so cool-headed, is talking more than usual. That's not like you"

****

Sasuke knew that there was something in what he said but he buried it deep his hatred growing.

"Could it be that you're scared despite the fact that you're the one that picked the fight, Sasuke?" Naruto continued his verbal analysis

****

Sasuke was clearly angered by now but he had to keep his cool he couldn't let Naruto know that he was right! 

****

"Whatever, let's get started."

****

They began to argue over the forehead protector Sasuke's clear disrespect for what the protector meant and for Naruto chilled Sakura to the bone.

Sakura began whispering in her dreams.

"No. Naruto, Sasuke, stop" she writhed kicking her sheets away from her in an attempt to banish the night mares

**"NARUTO" Sasuke shouted in anger as he leaped towards Naruto!**

****

"SASUKE" Naruto shouted with the same venom simultaneously leaping at Sasuke.

They both threw a tremendous punch and caught the other at the same time they seemed so evenly match but much to Sakura's dismay this was just the beginning.

Sasuke aimed a kick at Naruto who caught in both hands perfectly and swung Sasuke around by his foot. Sasuke was prepared and caught the floor with his hands and swung himself around to kick Naruto off with ease.

****

Sakura couldn't help but think that this was getting too serious and wanted to run for help to stop it but couldn't move from the entrance.

Sakura's whispers got louder as she begged her team mates to stop their fight! She knew they were on a slippery slope and that they could end up hurting one another. What if Sasuke used Chidori?

"Please Sasuke stop... Naruto"

**Naruto turned as he flew through the air ready to aim another punch, but Sasuke caught his arm and threw him to the ground. Naruto was quick though and managed to rotate and land on his feet facing Sasuke. **

****

There was a multitude of punches from Sasuke's and Naruto blocked them all before he was thrown into a sheet. Sasuke moved the sheet to find that Naruto wasn't there. His eyes wide with fright, where was he?

****

The breeze calmed slightly and the sheets relaxed some. Then one sheet moved in the nonexistent breeze. Sasuke jumped higher to get a view of the roof and found Naruto stood on top of the water tower.

Sakura continued to fight her dream as the fight reached its climax

**Sasuke powered his Chidori and Naruto powered up his Rasengan and they flew towards each other filled with rage that they had not noticed that Sakura ran between them to stop the fight. Naruto tried to slow up when he saw her, as did Sasuke, but the momentum had built to high!**

Sakura no longer spoke but screamed in her sleep her terror evident in her voice "SASUKE!! NO!! NARUTO!"

She kicked and punched at the air around her and screamed the words she had shouted to them that day.

"STOP IT!" She placed herself between the Rasengan and the Chidori and hoped that it would compel them to stop. She heard Naruto shout in anger

**I CAN'T STOP!!" Naruto tried to pull back but the momentum took away his control over the attack. The Rasengan was committed in its path of attack, as was the Chidori.  
**  
Sakura was crying and begging them to stop when the dream finally faded away. Her body relaxed but the tears continued to pour out of her eyes. And a new scene began to unfold before her.

**Sakura was walking down a dark konoha street, you could hear the crickets chirping, it was so peaceful. Then she could hear footsteps behind her, she turns around and there was Sasuke! **

**  
"What are you doing wandering around here at night?" he had his bag packed and Sakura knew what was going on. She knew which road they were on!**

****

"Because, in order to get out of the village, you have to take this road." She whispered letting him know she knew all he planned to do. And her purpose was to stop him.

"Go home and sleep" He replied coldly it stung Sakura, cause the fact of the matter was that he didn't care! He walked past her ignoring her presence; she was like a mere stranger in a crowded street.

More tears were shed from Sakura's sleeping eyes and she sobbed quietly as she watched a younger version of herself cry for Sasuke.

**"Why? Why won't you tell me anything? Why do you always stay silent" it frustrated her and she cried openly in front of him hoping it was imploring him to stay.**

"Why won't you say anything to me" she whimpered.

She began to speak all the words of her dream aloud tears rolling down her cheeks her voice cracking with emotion.

**Neither her tears nor her words were having any effect on Sasuke. **

****

"Why do I have to tell you anything? It's none of you business. Stop concerning yourself about what I do" 

****

Sakura couldn't bare the annoyance in his voice the way that he spoke to her made the tears come flooding did their friendship all they had been through mean nothing to him, she had thought that the three of them had become close. The way that he got angry when people hurt her, she thought that, that concern had been a real love, a real friendship.

"You've always hated me! Huh?" 

****

Sakura sobbed as the flash back played in her mind when Sasuke had shouted at her and told her she was worse than Naruto! He had told her she was annoying and it was true he had hated her all along a fresh bout of sobs came from her mouth. They were filled with the pain of loss!

She smiled as she saw herself reminding Sasuke of all the fun times that they had had! But the tears kept coming as she knew she would never have that friendship again. She heard Kakashi's bells and saw them fight for them. She saw all the fun they had together and the knowledge made her sob all the more!

**Sasuke stopped her reminiscing **

****

"just as I thought, I'm different from you guys. I walk a different path from you guys." His voice was lacking emotion as he stated what to him was real but Sakura knew it was an excuse to leave and to pursue power! 

****

"I tried to think it was my path to do the things we've done until now. The four of us did things together, but my heart decided on revenge in the end." Sasuke continued his excuse for his pursuit of power. 

****

"That's my purpose in life."

****

Sakura watched him knowing it was all a lie and that he could be anything that he wanted. Before she could say a thing Sasuke continued.

****

"I can't become like you or Naruto." His voice was still devoid of emotion

****

"Are you going to choose to be alone again?" 

Sakura was shouting now her chest heaving for air as she sobbed so hard! She was struggling to breathe as the emotion took over her body. Kakashi could hear her sobs from the next room and was at her side trying to comfort her in her sleep.

**"But if you're gone" she continued "To me it's the same as being alone" she was crying full out struggling for each breath.**

Kakashi pulled her into his chest and rubbed her back firmly to encourage her breathing and to comfort her.

"Sakura" he whispered gently

"its ok, sshhh" he rocked her back and forth. But her crying continued. He hated to see her like this and it happened every so often, sometimes about Sasuke, sometimes about the death of her parents, but he was always there to help her. She was definitely getting better, the dreams came less and they had been less severe until tonight!

"Sakura" he whispered again "I'm here" her sobbing subsided and she started to stir. Kakashi knew she was fully awake when she began to cling to him.

"Kaka- please don't leave me?!" She was finally calming down

"I won't ever, ever leave you" he assured her gently as he rocked her back to sleep.

She was like a daughter to him. He just wanted to end the nightmares for her but he couldn't there was nothing that he could do!

(Authors note: thanks for the fave's and alerts, I feel immensely honoured!! I hope you like this new chapter, it was originally longer but I felt like this was the right ending.

Please review after you read this chapter, I thrive of criticism, constructive or not! If I'm not getting the reviews I will assume that the fic is not being read as much as I would like and discontinue... so if you like review.

Thank you luv n hugs Kakashi!!

XxXxXx


	3. Neji the Meddy Nin

(Authors note- welcome to chapter 3, took a little while longer cause most of this was at the end of chapter 2,

(Sakura POV)

I was sat in my office with piles and piles of patient files. I of course was in charge of assigning patients to medics. It was a giant pain the backside, but that's what you get if you're Tsunade-Sama's apprentice.

Tsunade was a brilliant kunoichi, her battle skills are worthy of the title Sannin and her medical skills were second to none. She was fearlessly beautiful (partially because she used an illusion Jutsu to keep herself looking mid twenties) and she's dam smart to boot.

However there are major drawbacks to her personality, such as, she manages to pile all her work on to her two tenacious apprentices Shizune and me. She has a major Sake problem, as in she can't stop drinking it, and major debt problems which is directly related to her serious gambling problems. The gambling wouldn't be that much of a problem except that she is abysmal at it.

So that's why I'm sat at my desk so early in the morning organizing the entire hospitals collection of patient files. I could have been doing something more useful, but alas, if I don't do it then none of the patients would get treated.

When I had finally finished I was subject to walking around the hospital handing out the patient files. I mean do I have the word MUG tattooed on my forehead! It was already eight am and I have to plan medical training for Neji by nine.

That's another one of our brilliant Hokage's idea's that basically got dumped on my lap. One member of every four man cell had to be medically trained. Therefore every senior medic Nin got a handful of Shinobi to train. I don't really mind this extra load as I have kind of inherited the same dream as Tsunade Sama.

I have Hyuuga Neji every Monday morning and Tuesday morning, Yamanaka Ino on Wednesday morning and Thursday mornings, and Hyuuga Hinata on Friday and Saturday mornings. In the afternoons I would deal with my patients unless I have missions in which case my schedule completely changed! The life of a medic Nin is so hectic!

Its eight thirty and I can finally get down to planning Neji's first medic training session. Nothing too difficult, I'll teach him a Jutsu and make sure he was competent by the end of the day.

I got everything I would need into a pack and flipped through my patient files. On the top of my list was Kiba, he had gotten back from a mission late last night and somehow he and Akamaru had ended stuck in their "All Fours Jutsu" That would take some working out.

It was eight fifty and Neji should be here any minute. I couldn't wait. I loved spending time with Neji, he always made me laugh, and he had a surprisingly good sense of humour, if not slightly competitive one. Teaching him would be fun!

"I really don't want to know who or what you are day dreaming about" Neji proclaimed breaking me out of my reverie, Neji grinned as he made me jump a mile.

"Would you really be that scared, Neji, if I was having naughty thoughts, about you?" I questioned him with a look of mock sincerity on my face. I looked at him questioningly, but inside I was mentally applauding myself on my unusually quick wit!

Neji was dumb struck for a moment,

"Sakura, you don't have to make comments like that just make me feel better, I know your heart belongs to the, Beautiful green beast of Konoha," he smiled with a very convincing look of jealously and sadness. Then he grinned as if he had the best idea in the world

"In fact I know this beast very well, I'll tell him about your naughty fantasies, you never know he may be very interested?" He wangled his eyebrows at me and smiled suggestively.

I can imagine my face was a picture, I could feel my face changing colour slowly to the same hideous shade of the aforementioned ninja's trademark spandex suit. Neji smirked wickedly; I could just imagine an inner Neji mentally high fiving himself!!

"Neji, tha-that's just so... WRONG!!" I was both shocked and hurt

"You have a cruel sense of humour you know that! Now let's start with our lesson" I sauntered past him pointing in the direction he was to follow! I made sure my face still had a mock moody face applied!

Neji followed me smiling! He loved our little battles of wit. I could really hold my own.

(Neji POV)

I loved her laugh and the way that her eyes sparkled when she was just that happy! I chuckled to myself as she walked in front of me with such presence.

She held herself, her chin up, she was proud. Not proud like in a bad way she had confidence in herself. That's one of the things I liked so much about her.

The only thing that worried me is if that would all disappear when she found out that Sasuke was back. I knew she would find out sooner or later, of course, but I daren't tell her myself. Sasuke leaving had hit her so hard; I didn't know why, the way that he treated her, it was abysmal; he was the reason she had previously had such a low self esteem.

Before I knew it Sakura was guiding me to one of the pools in the hospital garden. We sat down beside it and Sakura began to open her pack removing some medical scrolls and fishing net. She opened the scroll and placed one in front of me and one in front of herself. Then she carefully gathered two fish from the pond and placed them in the middle of the scrolls; which had a pattern of black squiggles creating a large oval on the sheet.

I looked at Sakura; I was a little confused by what I saw but thought I would have fun with it.

"Sakura, just thought you should know I'm training to as a medical ninja, not a Veterinarian?" I fake winced and gave Sakura a side glance

Sakura looked shocked at my statement, forged shock obviously.

"WOW!" she emphasized

"How stupid of me" Sakura paused and struck herself on her forehead with lower palm.

"I really should be letting an untrained medic practice his Jutsu's on real patients" she shook her head at herself.

"Curse my lack of common sense." Every word was sodden with sarcasm. She smirked at me and then continued.

"Depending how good you are depends on how far you get through the evolutionary chain" she glanced at me, I was lost for words shocked that I had just set her up for a blend of verbal ridicule.

"Your clear lack of common sense tells me you'll be stuck on fish for a while" I could imagine inner Sakura was doing a very ostentatious 'I win' dance. Sakura however showed none of this and just sat there trying to look very mature.

I nodded clearly quite proud.

"And the student becomes the teacher. The circle is complete"

Sakura went through the hand signs for the Jutsu and explained to me how much chakra would be needed for the Jutsu and how I would be able to tell how much chakra to use. Her hands began to glow a faintly as she healed the small fish and placed it back into the pond.

"Now your turn" She smiled at me encouragingly.

I copied the hand signs no problem and my hands had same faint glow but it took me about 10 minutes to heal the small fish. It probably didn't help that Sakura constantly made sarcastic comments such as:

"A little more chakra"

"NO not that much"

"If you don't hurry your team mate will die of blood loss"

"Enemy Shinobi are on your trail HURRY!!"

"I think I might have to down grade you to a tad pole!"

"Your team mates dead"

"Now were at the funeral"

"Now we're over it"

Each comment was only a friendly jibe and I knew it, that's what we did! Eventually my fish began to flap about on the scroll and I returned him to the lake.

Sakura flicked water at me for some unknown reason. she started to giggle she clearly found the whole thing hilarious, I think it had something to do with the fact that I was normally good at everything, but I was not good at this!!

I retorted by cupping water in my hands and tipping it on her hair! I laughed as her expression changed from unbelievable joy to pure fury!

"That's not funny!!!" she was not happy I should have known that the hair was too much! But I couldn't stop laughing

"you should respect your sensei" she pouted.

I continued to laugh.

"But you started it!" I objected indignantly

"It's ok when I do it!" she said seriously, pout still in place.

"Sakura, I'm sorry" I said sincerely and grabbed Sakura into a big hug! She leaned against me with her back against my chest! Finally the pout disappeared and was replaced with a grin.

We continued to half play and half work until lunch when the lesson was over, I had by this point completely mastered the Jutsu and Sakura assured me that I would move up the evolutionary chain with ease.

(Sakura POV)

I listened patiently as Kiba described his overzealous actions during his mission. I already knew what the problem was, which meant I could spend my time day dreaming about that delicious hug, my Neji hug.

I remember every detail, how it had felt so right, his strong arms wrapped round my waist, his buried in my neck and he mumbled sorry's. The way that his lips lightly brushed my skin as he spoke, the way his breath felt on my neck. It makes me dizzy just think about it.

"Erm Sakura..."Kiba interrupted my blissful thinking.

"Err... wha-" I reply stupidly

"Sakura... what's wrong with me...!" Kiba asked slowly,

"Erm..." my mind went completely blank. "Kiba give me a second... it will come to me" I stand there fingers rubbing my temples, I had the answer like a minute ago...

"Well...?" Kiba asks again, the same slow monotone as before.

"chakra... it had something to do with chakra!" I jumped in, yea it was vague but whenever I tried to think of what was in my head just moments ago, I come up with Neji, and then nothing else!

"Sakura?" Kiba asked with a slight smirk on his face. "Why are you so distracted today?" here it comes...

"I'm not distracted, I was just thinking about my training sessions" well I'm not lying am I?

Kiba began to smirk even more, 'Who was you training today Sakura?" he questioned his smirk getting annoyingly large.

"I was training Neji, I was very pleased with how fast he picked up the first Jutsu" I said very quickly, after all I knew what was coming.

Kiba's smirk transformed into a full on grin, and then he howled with laughter.

"And now your all in a tiz and cant think straight, dam you two are the only ones that don't see it!" he laughed some more,

Darn I was never going to hear the end of this one, cant a girl and a guy just be friends anymore? Well to tell the truth I did like Neji a little, but it wasn't like the feelings were returned or anything and we are and always will be friends!

"Come on Sakura" Kiba whined wanting the scoop, "we all know you like Neji, just give me the scoop so I can share all the juicy details with Hinata!!"

and there it was, he was bribing me, he knew that I sympathised with his Hinata plight, meaning that he couldn't show Hinata any hint of his feelings without 'the Neji Hyuuga' breathing down his neck or attempting to break one of his legs, gossip was all he had and my situation was interesting and defiantly something that Hinata would love to hear about. But that didn't mean that I didn't want to get out of the situation.

"I kind of need to heal you though Kiba and I missed out on the multi tasking gene!" I mock sigh at Kiba and put my hands in my medic jacket pulling out a needle and a small vial of clear fluid.

"But you don't know what's wrong yet!" he exclaimed, unfortunately for him, this rather disturbing conversation helped to clear my head and I remembered that it was a simple case of chakra manipulation.

"it's okay I have the cure right here, it's just a problem with your chakra circulation this with some rest should have you and Akamaru back to normal in about 2 days, but you need to watch how you push yourself in the future"

There we go I'm back in control, the way that it's supposed to be.

"but your such a good medic, I know you could talk to me, but if not I guess I'll just have to tell Neji that you're not good enough to train him, I mean let's face it you can't even multi task!"

Okay, I know men have the pride thing and women have the multi task thing, well here's the thing I have both, I just can't have Kiba telling people that I'm not a good enough medic Nin!

"Fine Kiba you win!" I submit very aggressively. "What do you want to know?" I continue as I draw the fluid in to the needle checking the amount carefully.

"Well you could start at the beginning if you like? Was there any bantering?" he asked almost as excited as Ino or Hinata might be, but let's face it, this is Kiba he's odd.

"Yea there was definitely some banter!" I giggle actually getting into the very girly conversation with the wolf like man sat on the bed. I sit on the edge of the bed, flicking the needle to bring the air bubbled to the top.

"Well I was thinking to myself when he walked in!" I began only to be interrupted by the wolf man!

"You mean you were thinking about Neji?" he corrected me, he was right, but he didn't know it.

"Anyway as I was saying, I was thinking to myself when he came in and he started making jokes about what I might be thinking about, I said it was a naughty fantasy... about erm, him!" I giggle at the fact that although it wasn't a naughty fantasy it was still Neji that had given me that girlish smile!

"Really, I'm glad you said that Sakura, because honesty really is the best policy, please... continue." He said shuffling himself in the bed to get comfortable.

"Well when I said that he had this little pout o-" I was interrupted again.

"Neji pouted?? That's new!" he exclaimed.

"If you want me to talk you better stop interrupting" I threatened. "You should be nice, I haven't decided which way I'm going to take your temperature yet!" I laugh a little at the uncomfortable look on his face and he makes a zipping motion across his mouth and then beams at me, waving his hand for me to continue.

"well, he had a kind of mock pout, and then said that i shouldn't lie to make him feel better, and then he tried to set me up with rock lee!!" i giggle at the memory, although at the time it wasn't that funny. I can just imagine Neji taking the joke to far, and actually telling lee that I fantasize ... about him!!

"And?" Kiba asked enthusiastically "come on Sakura ..." he whined, when I began wiping his arm down ready for his needle, ignoring his plea for more juicy gossip. He had this ridiculous pout and mumbled "pwease, I'm poorly sick, pwity pwease"

I mean how can I say no to that?

"Well after that I showed him the Jutsu, there was more banter, I few playful jibes, and then as we were by the pool I splashed him with water, and he splashed water all over my hair, that's way it's so crinkly today" I said looking at my rather dishevelled hair.

"Ooo you got mad didn't you, I can tell Sakura, you won't take hair abuse lying down!" he chuckled slightly at my dilemma.

"I did, I pouted and I was moody, for about ten seconds-" my sentence drifted off as my mind wandered back to my Neji hug!

"What happened Sakura, it must have been good, your eyes are all glazed over and you have a weird dreamy smile on your face" I sniggered at his description.

"He grabbed me from behind, and gave me the best hug I ever had ever!" my voice went all dreamy again and I was lost in my thoughts.

(Authors note: I thought that I would finish here, I was going to do a bit of Neji at the end, someone quizzing him about why he's stupidly happy, but I thought that it was just too much and he ended up so ooc!! I know he seemed ooc in the beginning of this chapter, but that is going to be explained, in later chapters, it could be the company you know!! Lol

Anyway thank you for taking the time to read my fic, please review, I only update when I feel I have had enough reviews, I'm not greedy I just like to know that my fic is enjoyed, plus I don't have a beta anymore so I need con-crit please)


	4. Inner Torture outer Pain

****

authors note- this chapter took a while longer, I'm very sorry… its just after I typed it, I put it on my pen drive to take home to upload and proof read… unfortunately just after this my pen drive went hay wire and I cant get it back... to make matters worse the other copy some how disappeared… so I had to write it again.… I'm so worried that this won't match up to the other version... I couldn't remember everything that I put into it

**Disclaimer - kishimoto owns naruto!**

* * *

Chapter 4- Sasuke's torture- part 1

The streets were lined with spectators as the faceless Shinobi was dragged down the dusty street. Sasuke couldn't see them all he could hear was the jeers of the crowd and feel the sun beat against his skin; his signature Uchiha robes had been removed and replaced by Konoha issue prison robes, they were a nasty orange colour, though the bright colour had faded with the dust from falling over again and again… the guards were rough and couldn't care when he stumbled.

Sasuke noticed the difference as he was pulled into the cool of a large stone building. The air was cooler and a biting breeze rushed over his face. He felt the frigid stone under his bare feet as he was pulled along the narrow passageways and then down a much cooler stair well. Sasuke unable to see anything had to trust his captors. He stumbled on the uneven stones and tripped on steps that he could not see. His captors did not see the need to warn him.

He was eventually pulled into a side room. The air was damp and had a strong stale smell about it. Here he was stripped of all his clothing, leaving just the mask covering his face with out warning icy water showered his toned body, his muscle's tightened at the shock. The downpour continued after he was sprayed with what he could only assume was a kind of strong disinfectant. With out time to dry Sasuke was forced into a rough Konoha prison issue obi. It wasn't very thick nor was it warm… in fact it absorbed the water on his body keeping his body temperature unpleasantly cool.

Sasuke was then forced into a hard wooden chair and was then fastened there securely. He couldn't help but think that some people really where simple. Surly if he came back of his own free will he wasn't going to run away, not after making a deal with the Hokage… mind you when he left of his own free will, everyone seemed to think he needed to be rescued.

Finally the mask was ripped of his face but the room was so dark that he couldn't see a thing. His head was pulled back by his unseen captors and he felt his hair being shaven by kunai. Slowly but surely all of his hair was shaven off leaving his hair very short and uneven… after this one of his captors used a shuriken to shave all the remaining hair, the blade was dragged across his scalp the air began to sting the fresh cuts on his head. After his eyes had been masked once again he was dragged around in the darkness and eventually he was thrown into a cell and his restraints removed.

Sasuke sat in the dark waiting for his eyes to accustom to the light, when they finally did he explored the small cell that he was residing in. it was four paces long and four paces wide. The bed was simply a piece of scratchy material and a saggy pillow. The toilet was a hole in a small corner of the cell. He explored the cell some more and couldn't find any sign of the door just stones walls, with a small peep hole, Sasuke assumed that this was deliver food to the prisoner.

* * *

After spending weeks in his cell with nothing to keep him company but the darkness that surrounded him, he was never given any food or any water, Sasuke had sunk so low as to drink from the hole that was his toilet, he would filter away the waste as best he could and scooped what he could determine as clean water… however without his sight this was hard to do.

Everyday he had the same routine he would be dragged from his cell and bound at the arms and legs; the mask was again over his face. Any light that may have been outside his cell was shut out to the point that it was driving him mad; he couldn't wait to escape the darkness. He was always taken to the same room and prayed with the cold hose and scrubbed clean with what felt like billow pads. Then he was thrown back into the cell to freeze in his damp prison gown.

Every night he was haunted by nightmares, the guards would hear him scream of unknown terrors. Sasuke didn't know that Ibiki was indeed watching his every movement… every flinch every tremble… biding his time, picking his moment to make Sasuke spill his guts. Ibiki was one of the many people that wanted answers for the treason he had committed.

* * *

One day Sasuke's routine completely changed he was dragged from his cell, bound and blinded, then instead of going to the usual shower room Sasuke found that he was taken to another room, the air became cleaner, ad generally a lot cooler on his face. He was placed on a hard back hair, he couldn't see anything as his eyes where still covered, then a bright light shone through the thick cloth biding his eyes. The light stung after so long in the darkness.

A guard came up behind him and tore of the mask, Sasuke closed his eyes trying to shield them from the burning lamp that was shining in his face. As Sasuke's eye's accustomed to this new found light, he saw the figures of many ANBU captains and sat at a desk in front of him was none other than Morino Ibiki.

Sasuke noted a large tub of water in front of him, it was waste height, he couldn't help wondering what it might be for, though he had a horrible feeling that he would find out and that it wouldn't be pleasant.

"Well Sasuke" Ibiki finally spoke. "I think that maybe we should start at the beginning" his voice lacked any kind of emotion and his face confirmed this, he was sombre, almost disinterested.

"Why did you leave Konoha?" he asked, his questioning was so open that sauce had no clue on what was the correct thing to say. It was a basic interrogation technique, and yet, even in its simplicity, there was no way around for Sasuke.

"You already know the answer" Sasuke replied stubbornly.

Ibiki nodded discreetly to a guard that was hiding in the shadows. The guard quickly made himself known as he struck Sasuke round the head with his strong wooden katana. He fell to the floor blood spilling from his mouth. He tried to push himself up but his arms were too weak and he fell again in the puddle of his own blood.

The guard pulled Sasuke up to face Ibiki, drops of blood dripped into the tub of water giving it a faint pink colour. He looked at the large tub of water and then looked at the unforgiving face of Morino Ibiki.

"Yes Sasuke, we all know about you treacherous guileful brother, but please amuse us by retelling the story, which you seem to feel allows you to be just as treacherous and guileful… what can I say it must run in the family"

As Ibiki began to talk about Itatchi, Sasuke became more and more angry, wither it was Ibiki's description of his brother or just comparing the two of them that caused the reaction, Ibiki didn't know.

"YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MY FAMILY!" Sasuke screamed he jumped out of the guards grasps and leapt over the tub of freezing water, launching himself at Ibiki, with only his mouth free, he sunk his teeth into Ibiki's face. He could taste the blood and flesh in his mouth as he had infect taken a huge chunk from Ibiki's cheek. Sasuke lunged for another attack but the guards where already on top of him, beating him around the head.

One guard swung his katana round and got Sasuke right in the face knocking him into the tub of freezing water. Shock hit Sasuke, he couldn't breath, his chest had constricted, before he knew it the same guard had his throat and was pinning him under the water.

There was nothing that he could do, his eyes wide with fear, his lungs began to fill with water, until eventually he was pulled out. He looked at Ibiki and spat on his gashed face. Just as he was getting his breath back he was thrust under the water again. He instinctively screamed allowing water to gush into his lungs, his arms flayed and his legs kicked, until he was pulled out again. He coughed up all the water that he had swallowed.

"Sasuke, would you want to be a little more co-operative?" Ibiki asked Sasuke not caring about the scared face that he had recently acquired.

"FUCK YOU ASS HOLE" He screamed leaning in trying to get to him yet again. Unfortunately for Ibiki Sasuke wasn't quite as exhausted as they had thought, he took a deep breath and somehow cast the Uchiha fireball technique, the fire consumed Ibiki and the guards tried desperately to restrain him. Through the flames Ibiki could be seen shielding himself from the fire, his clothes were alight and some of his flesh was beginning to burn.

One guard rushed over to Sasuke and before he knew it he was unconscious, he hadn't seen the ANBU guard with syringe. When he woke he was every drowsy and couldn't move, when he became more alert the anger was still hot inside him but he couldn't move, somehow he was paralysed. He opened his eyes to see Ibiki sat in front of him, his face was still bleeding profusely and the burns on his arms looked painfully pink.

"Sasuke I'm going to ask you one last time… do you wish to be co-operative?" the anger burned in Sasuke, there was nothing that he could do to show his distaste he couldn't move.

"Right then, I'll take your silence as a yes if you don't mind" Ibiki smirked as he saw the anger inflame on Sasuke's face.

"Let's talk about why you left Konoha?" just as Sasuke couldn't move, neither could he talk.

"O dear, Sasuke I'm afraid that if you don't answer my questions then you will drown in the tank again, now if you would… please answer my question" Ibiki face slid into a sadistic smile, this caused the gash in his face to grow and blood oozed out of it.

Sasuke tried to speak but no words would come out, he wanted to shout fuck you and spit again but he couldn't even do that. This annoyed him more than anything else. After a few seconds his head was forced into the tub of freezing water again and pulled out.

Again and again he was asked the same questions but he couldn't answer them, and again and again his head was forced into icy water. Sasuke got the feeling that the idea was to cause him as much pain as possible and Konoha had no real desire for information.

At the end of the day this was true, Tsunade trusted that Sasuke had wanted his revenge and had completely bought the pride story, however she felt that Sasuke deserved punishment, so that's what Ibiki had to do.

"Punish him Ibiki, make him pay for what he did, make him wish that he where dead" that's what Tsunade had said to him.

After hours of this the guards took Sasuke back to his cell where the anger gradually wore off and began to regain control over his body.

* * *

Sasuke had not left his cell since he was last in the interrogation room, he had lost track of the days as there was nothing to mark them, no routine, and he lived in constant night. He hadn't been given any food or drink. All he had was the stagnant polluted water that was found in the small hole that is the toilet.

Sasuke began to notice the effects of the prolonged starvation. His body began to eat through his fat reserves and eventually began eating into his muscles; he suffered greatly from fatigue meaning that he could no longer move, even in his tiny prison cell. He sat by the toilet trying to filter and consume as much water as he could so that he might delay dehydration. However this was not enough signs of severe dehydration began to show in the cracking of his skin and the pain every time that he tried to swallow.

Judging by his symptoms he would have to guess that it had been at least a month since he had come to this hell. Eventually he was carried by guards to the interrogation room yet again.

* * *

"Okay Sasuke so lets discuss why you left Konoha" Ibiki said. His face had changed since the last time he had seen him, the gash on his face had been sewn up quite effectively and the burns where covered in neatly wrapped bandages, there was a faint smell of ointment.

'You know why I left, to get revenge," Sasuke spoke with little enthusiasm; he had the manner of one that had given up. After all he knew how dangerous torture was, he had be trained on how to survive it, however Ibiki was a lot better than Sasuke gave him credit for, he knew that in his physical condition it wouldn't take much to kill him, a few more days of starvation would finish him off.

"So we have decided to co-operate," Ibiki smiled making the scar on his face contort, it made him look even more sinister. "That wasn't so difficult now was it, now, please elaborate, who and why did you want revenge against?"

"My brother….He killed all of our clan, I was the only survivor…" Sasuke trailed off his mind going back to images of his brother that night, the image that came to him was not the stern face telling him to cling to his ugly life, nor the face that seemed so uncaring standing over the dead bodies of their parents… the face he saw was one that was heartbroken… the face of a loving brother tears streaming down his face, tears of remorse for what he had been forced to do. Of course this wasn't something that Sasuke was going to bring up.

"Can you please tell me about that night, what you remember, after all we want to be able to prove that you had reason for committing treason… don't we?" Ibiki questioned him, leaving Sasuke in doubt of wither he was going to be able convince him of his innocence or if he would be put to death.

"There really isn't anyway that you can describe the night when as a young child you walk home and find the bodies of your loved ones littered on the floor, aunts and uncles, cousins all lying in their blood, you cant describe the fear that over takes you when you run home looking for the loving embrace of a mother, but when you get there you find your brother standing over their bodies with a bloody katana in his hand and remorseless expression on his face… you cant describe the hatred that wells up when you look at your brother, he's brutally murdered all you hold dear and then left you alone."

Ibiki was shocked by what he had heard, what struck him was not that Sasuke was crying, but that he only cried when he said he had been left alone, it almost seemed that Sasuke hated Itatchi more for leaving him than for killing his family.

At this point Ibiki knew just the way to torture Sasuke.

"Tell me about your relationship with Itatchi…before he left?"

Sasuke sat and thought his mind wandering about a happier time. "I remember sitting on the carpet of the living room, my toys were all over the floor and mum was wandering round cleaning and washing, I was in my own little world, that was until I heard the doors slide open and Itatchi walked in, just home from the academy" Sasuke had a dreamy expression and his posture had relaxed a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"I immediately drop what I'm playing with and tackle him as he walks through the door asking if he wants to play with me, Of course mum walks past holding some laundry saying 'Sasuke! Your brother has academy homework to do. You can play when he's finished' she always said that. I kind of got upset but Itatchi always played with me and did his homework later." small tears grouped in Sasuke's eyes as he smiled saying "I remember his face, he looked at me like I was the most important thing in the world, and asked me if I wanted to play hide and seek"

Sasuke explained every detail of them playing together then his face became more and more hurt as he began to describe them growing apart.

"'Itaaachi!! Show me kage bunshin technique…please!!' I was so happy I believed that he would show me, but he started to reply more and more with 'Sorry Sasuke, I'll show you some other time.' then he would poke me on the head, it hurt a little but I never minded, eventually every time we talked I got the poke on the head and told that it was some other time…

I became less and less important to my brother, he had missions to go on and I wasn't as important as that. We even talked about it, he always appologised and I always believed him, I didn't care I just loved to be with him sometimes, he had always cared about me more than my parents, father was concerned only with Itatchi, and how he would bring pride to the clan…mum was the same really!"

Sasuke began to shake at the shoulders wrenching sobs came from his body, no one would have expected this, and he had hated Itatchi, why would his memory cause him such grief!

"the last time we talked as brothers he told me-" he stopped suddenly Itachi's smiling face swimming before his teary eyes as he continued Itachi's voice echoed in his mind, the memory becoming vividly real " 'I'll always be there for you Sasuke' the next time I saw him he was standing over the bodies of our parents"

"Sasuke" Ibiki's voice was softer now, hearing the story of how much he had loved the brother that had hurt him the way he did, it almost seemed cruel to continue, though he had his orders and all he had to do was remember what he had done to so many of the young Shinobi of the village and it was quite easy. "Tell me how did you kill Itatchi?"

Now that was a question and a half… after all he never really killed him did he, he had died cause he was ill, he had clung to life through medicine just so he could die at Sasuke's hands so that that would be the end of it. "it was a long battle, it seemed that the tide turned many times, I thought I had won and he thought he had won many times, by the end we had both exhausted out chakra and I had nothing left to give… he stumbled over to be hands stretched out to take my eyes, I knew he wanted them to cure his blindness… instead he poked my forehead and said 'sorry Sasuke… this is the last time' then he collapsed at my feet dead! I saw the look on his face…he looked like my brother again"

Sasuke collapsed into sobs of guilt for hating the brother that loved him, the brother that protected him from the prejudices of the village elders, and left the village in shame just for him. But they didn't know that… that was Sasuke's secret.

**

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**

(authors note: thank you for reading and for being patient and waiting for this chapter… please review!! Also I just found out that my fic has been put into a C2!! Lol that's such a big deal to me!! Lol till next time! Kakashi!!)


	5. My Small Piece Of Sanity

(Authors note: hay I know it's been a while but I am back with a vengence! Lol afraid that I have had a few other projects on the go over the last few months but I have finally had the time to work on this fiction of mine! I won't bother to explain the ins and outs because I doubt you want to know)

Disclaimer: I don't own naruto

Chapter 5: My Small Piece of Sanity

Sasuke sat in his cold cell; all around him he could hear the screams of tortured ninjas, ninjas that had gone mad under Ibiki and his elite team. All of them completely lost their sanity lost only in the horror that Ibiki forces his victims to relive. Sasuke could have thought himself lucky, though it's hard to look at the positive side. He at least had one small piece of sanity left, something that no one could steal from him. Ibiki could make him re-live the torture of losing all his love ones and he could call him a traitor, this stole the majority of his sanity. However there was one thing that was his and his alone. The memory of a loyal brother, no one could possibly understand how much Sasuke loved the brother that he had killed, cause no one knew that Itachi had done it all to protect his little brother, his Sasuke.

As he lay in his dark cold cell listening to the screams of men gone mad, Sasuke silently cried his grief and his guilt for the brother that he had killed. Clinging to the one happy and real memory he had of his brother... just after his brother told him to hate him and then come and find him and kill him, he saw the truth, Itachi cried, he couldn't kill his emotions enough to hide completely... and then off into the night he went and everything he had then seen was a lie.

Unfortunately for Sasuke he only found out the whole abominable truth after he had killed him... at least that's what he had thought ... but again Itachi tried to save Sasuke in every sense... he planned to give him his revenge knowing that he would die...Itachi had been sick... Sasuke only wished that he could have been saved from the knowledge of losing a loving brother to a mere illness. The moment played out in his mind over and over... those last words ... words that he had the power to cause instant tears... 'This is the last time little brother' tears ran down is pale skeletal face.

Ibiki and a dark figure stood outside sasuke's cell, Ibiki was dreading what he knew he would have to do... he had learnt so much about Sasuke through his interrogation. He would lie there at night and wonder ... in the same situation, would I do the same? And he didn't know, he did know that what Sasuke had done would certainly seem desirable. And yet he knew that Sasuke was to be punished for the grief of losing everything, it seemed that he was being punished for being punished by an evil sinister brother as a child. It just didn't seem right. And now he had to deliver Sasuke the news that he would receive the death penalty... what a cruel joke.

The dark figure beside Ibiki spoke up " there's nothing that you can do Ibiki... you must deliver the death sentence" the man had a cold and calculating tone, it was like he was merely talking about the weather not a human beings life.

"It just doesn't seem right Danzou" Ibiki spoke up. "If the same thing happened to anyone else, wouldn't they react in a similar way, don't you think that a little compassion is in order?" Ibiki spoke as if he knew the answer.

"No!" he replied bluntly, " there is no compassion for those that commit treason. None" Ibiki knew that this was final. "Sasuke will receive the death penalty."

Sasuke sat in his cell after hearing the horrifying conversation, he heard the man Danzou footsteps, he couldn't believe that one of the men responsible for his brother's death was only feet away and he had no power to do anything. Its strange, he being faced with death could still only think of avenging his brother, after all he deserved to die for the part he played in his brothers death. Moments later the bolt on his door was removed and a small crack of light entered the room. There in the open doorway stood Ibiki, and Sasuke knew why he was here. Sasuke heard Ibiki mutter to two guards and they helped Sasuke up and gently walked him to the same interrogation room as every other time. Looking at Ibiki Sasuke knew what was coming

"I am to be put to death" Sasuke said. His voice shook, it seemed like his plan had failed, and all that he wanted was running away with him. "I had thought since I was going through this torture and interrogation, I would be able to live, to help and work for Konoha" a tear fell down Sasuke's cheek. " I have never had much of a normal life, I had began to believe that's what I as going to get after this, its what got me through it" he looked up at Ibiki, the usual blindfold in place, though Ibiki could see his tear stained cheeks, a small sad laugh escaped sasuke's lips. "I actually thought about settling down, having a son, I even dreamt about training him...its silly, I should have known I wouldn't be welcomed here."

Ibiki looked at Sasuke, he believed that he could trust him, and he removed his mask.

"Know this Uchiha Sasuke, I'm removing your mask because I trust you, and I welcome you here. Know that these orders come from higher up, and anyone with compassion would always welcome you back to Konoha!" he looked into Sasuke's eyes, they were red, but not because of his Sharingan, they were red with tears. "Know that I and my guards do not agree with what we are being told to do, and we hope to make your last days, a little pleasant"

Two guards then guided Sasuke to a heated bathing tub and beside it where what looked like fresh warm clothes then Sasuke was left alone. Sasuke smiled to himself it wasn't much but it made his very dark situation slightly brighter.

(Authors note: thank you for reading I know that this is a very short chapter ... but I will be updating very soon, I just felt like this was the right place to stop. Please review)


	6. Sakura's Truth

(Authors note: This chapter should have really been on the end of the last one, but I thought they should have been separated, hopefully you'll understand when you read it, but I'm afraid that you have two shorter chapters this time round.... but I updated real quick this time right?!!)

Chapter 6 – Execution

Sasuke lay in his cell just as normal, feeling that today wasn't going to hold the pleasures that yesterday had, and he knew that Ibiki couldn't get away with being nice to a traitor that was due for execution. He knew that the big guns would be coming out today. And how right he was, today his real hell began.

Sasuke was dragged out of his cell and brought again to the interrogation suite; Ibiki was already sat there, waiting. On the table was a large slab of white marble, it looked smooth and creamy, almost without blemish, except for a long black vein running through it. Sasuke knew what it was, but not why it was here. Beside it were a range of tools that Sasuke could only presume were for engraving the headstone, everything seemed so unclear.

"Sasuke," Ibiki motioned Sasuke to a seat in front of the tools and the headstone. "This has been chosen for you as your headstone, as you can see it has not yet been engraved, we feel that you at least deserve to be able to have a say in what is said on it." At this point Sasuke understood, how morbid, engraving your own headstone. It was the worst kind of emotional torture that anyone could have thought of.

Sasuke decided that he would put something that could at least bite Danzou in the backside every time he saw it, something that would be subtle, it would show people that Uchiha were a clan of fighters. For hours Sasuke chipped at the marble, it was tough work and soon Sasuke was exhausted. Each chip that Sasuke removed seemed to seal his own death sentence, his only comfort was the thought of seeing his beloved brother in the after life, if there was an after life.

As Sasuke engraved his stone it became more and more real to him that this could be his last day alive, and he was spending it in the most morbid way that one could. Carving out the letters of his name, he felt strange and unreal and a weight came on him, a depression that would not leave, no matter how much he told himself that he would soon meet his brother. It lay heavily and soon he was consumed by it. The thought that he would never see his brother, after all, his brother had fought for what was right, he had killed righteously, Sasuke had become a murderer, worse than that, he killed his own kin, for no reason at all. He began to doubt even being able to meet his brother in the after life, how could someone as evil as him be aloud to go to the same place as someone who had fought so lovingly.

He shook so much that the lettering was unclear, I doubt anyone would be able to tell what it even said, but Sasuke knew,

'Uchiha Sasuke, the Last of the Great Uchiha Clan and Brother of Uchiha Itachi'

By this time Sasuke was a mess, Ibiki watched, the guilt for what he had to do was only too real. He believed that Sasuke deserved to have a chance; he believed in Sasuke's reasons and saw only cruelty in what he was doing. But maybe he was just going soft in his old age, this is the thought that he clung to as he watch a helpless young man sob over his own gravestone.

At this point Ibiki had Sasuke removed from the interrogation room, "Sasuke you will need some rest, I suggest you try to forget about the execution for now, let your mind rest it will need it" Ibiki only hoped that the words would sink in cause he knew that he needed it, for his own sanity Sasuke needed rest.

However Sasuke's sleep was fitful, he was haunted by nightmares, the sins that he had committed, the things he had done that he had always assumed he would be able to set right, the friends that he had undoubtedly lost by now. He remembering the last time he saw them both before leaving Konoha. Naruto, he had tried to kill him, he remembered clearly how he had had no reason for it, only to prove that he was better than Naruto. It made his heart ache to think of the words that they had said to try and fix things for him, the words that he had said, throwing it back into their faces. He remembered distinctly the way Sakura looked as she laid their unconscious on the bench. How he would give anything now to say that he was sorry and let them know that they were the greatest friends that he had ever had. But there wasn't time for that was there?

The nest morning Sasuke was again pulled from his cell, the guards always more careful, more caring than they had been before, though they were still rough, I guess they had to keep up appearances. He was bathed again in warm water and dressed in a dry prison issue gown, his face was covered and his hands and feet shackled. He was directed round an unknown world and eventually came to a halt and was directed into an unseen seat.

"Sasuke?" Ibiki's now very familiar voice came out of the darkness, now it actually seemed like a comfort rather than something to be feared. "We will be leaving the confines of the prison now, I'm afraid that Konoha, sue to lack of ninja can't afford to have someone dig your grave so you have to do it, you will be heavily guarded so don't try to escape or you will be killed instantly" then he heard Ibiki's footsteps and eventually they faded away. Apparently Ibiki wouldn't be with him now, just nameless faceless guards.

They began walking again, soon he felt the forgotten heat of the sun and cool air of the outside world, not realising how long it had been, he could only judge by the massive amount of facial hair he had grown and that his hair was now a lot longer than it was before he had had his head shaven on that very eventful first day. The ground felt oddly rough under his feet after living in the world of smooth stone, the pain was itself almost a comfort, feeling something forgotten, something different from his prison world he had lived in for so long.

The sun beat upon his back and he walked for what seemed like hours until the ground became softer and Sasuke heard noises of many guards talking amongst themselves, he also heard the digging of other prisoners. Someone roughly grabbed Sasuke and began to shout;

"you will be known as number 13, if anyone shouts something and directs it at 13 its you and you do it" the voice was that of Hyuuga Neji. He was thrust a spade and too small holes were made, just enough so that he could see what he was doing, nowhere near enough to use Sharingan or get a good view of where he was. "Start digging here and don't stop until you are told" Neji finished.

Sasuke began to dig; as he did he watched Neji's familiar face walk over to another guard, she was beautiful, short pink hair and emerald eyes, Sasuke never thought he would see those eyes again, they were Sakura's eyes. He was lost in them. As he saw Neji put a flirtatious hand around her and pull her in, seemingly to share some amusing secret, a protective rage grew inside him, it wasn't that he had what Sasuke wanted, it was that he wasn't good enough for Sakura, not in Sasuke's opinion anyway. Before he knew it he was walking over and his spade was discarded.

"NUMBER 13, BACK IN PLACE" Neji screamed in a very commander type voice. Sasuke remembering himself picked up the spade and dug, listening to the pair's conversation.

"I hate this job" Sakura moaned, "I can't believe that a Medic Nin still has to babysit criminals" she stood there with an unfamiliar air of arrogance. Sasuke noticed that she had changed so much, not just her confidence, but her physical appearance too. She looked like she wasn't trying as hard, and like she was more serious about her profession. And yet this made her more physically attractive in Sasuke's eyes and Neji's too by the looks of things.

As Sasuke got on with digging his own grave, he heard some interesting conversation.

"So Sakura, we've been summoned to the Hokage's office later!" Neji had began holding a note he had just been handed. Neji seemed anxious after he had scanned the letter.

"Yea, she's probably going to moan at me for some reason or another, probably I'm not training you well enough" Sakura giggled.

Neji seemed uncomfortable, it was a sight to behold, and Neji seemed quite worried as he eyed the pink haired Kunoichi. "Sakura?" Neji questioned.

"Yea" Sakura replied looking at him and obviously finding amusement the same way that Sasuke was.... Neji's rather worried looking face.

"How would you feel if Sasuke were to come back?" that caught Sasuke ear, certainly he would like to know what kind of reception he would get from his friends.

"I would be disappointed" she spoke with no remorse and her face suddenly became harsh and cold.

"Why?" Neji asked the question that Sasuke wanted to scream.

"To be honest Neji, It's because I was looking forward to bringing back his head myself!" there was finality in her tone similar to one blonde Hokage.

Sasuke's insides turned to lead, what was the point if he was going to be miss-trusted and hated by everyone, including the one person you thought would always take you back. The one person you had always relied on hated you more than anyone else.

**(authors note: thank you for reading and reviewing, especially that person who reviewed anonymously saying that they weren't going to read cause there was so many errors in my authors note....unfortunately there wasn't an authors note on the chapter they reviewed! Please let me know what you think... I am open to criticism as long as it makes sense!)**


	7. Execution

(Authors note: (THIS IS AN EDITED CHAPTER THAT HAS BEEN RESUBMITTED) Thank you for reading and reviewing my fiction! I'm sorry that it has been so long since I updated but as I have said on many occasions; my computer has been out of order for a while and I have only just got my new shiny laptop! This means that I will not have any excuse for late updates! Promise I will try to keep it a 2 week max waiting time!)

Chapter 5: The Execution

Sasuke lay again in his cold cell, the small blanket still didn't provide the warmth that Sasuke's body craved nor did the food satisfy his hunger the way that he felt it should. Sasuke was at an all time low, digging out ones grave can do that. He had spent hours and hours digging the hole that would be his final resting place, the whole time he could only think about his impending death and the fact that those he thought would care, didn't. Sakura's words still haunted him, they cut deep, of all the people, he had thought at least Sakura would stand by him. But I guess she had Neji to stand by now!

Lying the in the cold dark only made matters worse for Sasuke, over and over again he seemed to be haunted by all the wrong decisions that he had made, all the people that he had lost, and now all the people that would be glad to see him gone, or worse, disappointed that they wouldn't be the one to strike the killing blow.

What scared Sasuke the most was that his least painful thoughts revolved around his pondering about how they would kill him, wondering when, and wondering how, what it would feel like? Not that these thoughts where painless, they just hurt a lot less than everything else. He supposed that it was probably for the best that he be killed, after all, how could he live like this.

As the day drew to a close, the small amount of light in Sasuke's cell died, and soon after this he heard guards outside, the loud clunking of someone fumbling with the lock, that sound brought a surge of joy to Sasuke's heart, perhaps they were going to let him out, let him escape, perhaps Sakura hadn't meant what she had said and she knew he was here, perhaps she had come to get him. But then he saw, they had come to get him, ANBU, their full get-up too, it was time.

One of the many guards wrapped a black silken cloth round Sasuke's eyes, this was obviously the real deal, and they were making sure that there was no possible way for Sasuke to get out of this alive! And they were doing a good job! Slowly he was walked from the cell into the corridor, Sasuke couldn't see a thing. As Sasuke walked along what seemed to be a slight incline the air got warmer though his legs still ached from the cold that he had been living in for who knows how long.

Before long Sasuke is steered into a new direction and they stop abruptly, Sasuke is stripped of his prison issue attire and they dress him in silken Uchiha clan ceremonial robes, the robes hang of Sasuke's now skeletal form.

**

Sakura was lay in her room, events of the past few weeks drifting through her head, she and Neji had become so close, he had even started helping her train with Kakashi. Sakura couldn't believe it he was actually tougher on her than Kakashi. She was also proud of her first student, Neji had come along so much in his medical Jutsu, of course he was nothing in comparison to sakura, and she knew that it really annoyed Neji to not be the best at something. But she thought it would be good for him, to have to work as hard as lee to get something! She would always admire Lee for his determination.

Sakura's head was obviously filled with the romance of the situation, nothing was happening, just unclear subtle flirts at both ends, and no one did or said anything that made the other confident enough to make a move. But this didn't stop Sakura imagining, there are so many firsts that Sakura was looking forward to. Their first date, their first kiss, their first set of his and her kunai!

It was 5 in the morning and she had a meeting with Tsunade at 6, so it was time she got her skates on. The meeting was curious, so many of the 'Rookie Nine' were going to be there... and Sai, Kakashi and Gai. What could be this important, the last time mission teams where this big was when they were dealing with the Akatsuki.

Thinking about it just made her blood boil, the things that that organisation had done to the world, half the population of Konoha was killed, and many of them innocent children, not Shinobi, but citizens. It was at this point she washed her hands of Sasuke, when he tried to capture Naruto for that evil organisation. I suppose it opened her eyes to how evil he really had become

She finally sat up from her bed and walked into the living area only to see a very groggy Kakashi up on time for the meeting...! (?) Though, he was clearly not in the state required for a meeting. He looked at the coffee machine and pressed buttons, nothing happened, he started tapping the top and flicking more switches, and still nothing happened. He looked like he was having a meltdown.

"Kaka- you want coffee?" Sakura asked sweetly, she looked at the man in front of the coffee machine; he looked confused, disorientated and rather upset!

"Please" was the reply she received and it was filled with anguish and self pity.

Smiling softly she motioned him to the chair and walked over to the coffee machine, she checked that there were beans in the machine, there was, she put the jug under and pressed the power button that Kakashi seemed to be trying to wear out! Nothing happened, then out of the corner of her eye she saw the problem... it wasn't plugged in. 5 minutes later Kakashi was in a far better state for a meeting! All thanks to a few sips of coffee.

**

After Sasuke's robe had been secured he was again lead in yet another direction, the smooth stone under his feet became gradually rougher, like it was covered in dust and sand. Then after a period of time Sasuke was led outside, he felt for the first time in a long time the breeze on face and cool fresh air. The ground was covered in stones and dust, the rough pathway was hard on Sasuke's feet, but this was the least of his worries.

He was led a long way, so far that Sasuke couldn't even picture where he might be in Konoha. Then he was stopped and he felt strong hands fumbling with what sounded like chains, they were wrapped around his arms and legs making it impossible for Sasuke to escape. He heard the distant fumbling of many other chains, fear grew inside Sasuke, and the unknown was now terrifying him. What where they going to do to him.

His mask was ripped off revealing the very beginning of the rising sun, the light revealed to Sasuke a horrifying sight. There was about 20 other criminal's, lined up in front of them were a hole's which they had presumably dug themselves and their own personalized grave-stones. And there in front of Sasuke was the hole that he had dug and the stone that he had carved himself. The chains that he had felt earlier had him chained and locked so there was no possible way out!

In front of each of the 'supposed' criminal was a masked man, he held a strange stick, it was metal and they seemed to point it at the 'criminals'. Then there stood Ibiki, he walked down the line of criminals, then he began to speak.

"You are all murderers, you have brought death upon yourself!" he began. "When you take the life of another, your life is forfeit! This is why you are here" gradually criminals started to sob, the situation couldn't escape your mind, there was no way to switch off and the emotion just got to the core of their beings leaving these strong men, men that had willingly taken lives, in emotional pieces. Sasuke was no exception; in fact he was the first to break.

"Many of you may not recognise the weapons in front of you, and I have to say that I don't particularly like them, they are a coward's weapon. Perfect that we should use them on cowards such as you, men that carelessly kill and rape women and children, men that torture others until they beg for death, men that can't fight a fair fight, this weapon fits you, it's all this weapon is fit for, exterminating vermin. This weapon we call the hunting rifle!" and with that he walked away from the men that he had sentenced.

Then Sasuke heard a loud bang, turning his head in the direction of the sound he saw on the wall behind one prisoner a large splash of blood, the prisoner fell face forward into the grave. ANBU guards where there instantly to bury the body! As the men went along killing the prisoners Sasuke's fear increased until he was the last one left, the smell of death was in the air, and all he could do was stare at the man about to kill him, silent tears rolling down his face, he knew now, he had no time left.

**

Sakura and Kakashi walked down to Hokage tower, just as the sun was beginning to rise, it looked beautiful. Soon they met Neji and the rest of team Gai. As they were just getting to Hokage tower Sakura jumped as they heard a series of loud bangs! There were about 20 in total.

"It's just Ibiki" Kakashi laughed "he has to get rid of death row at least once a month!" Sakura replied with a gentle, for her, punch in the arm.

"I didn't expect it, that all!"She said aggressively, as they began to climb the steps up to Tsunade's office.

Neji walked behind Sakura, he watched her silently wondering how she would take the news that Sasuke was back, Neji had guessed that's what the meeting was about, I mean they had to find out he was back at some point, even if he was put to death. But would Sakura be able to handle it emotionally, if she was to come face to face with Sasuke. He now knew that she had hated him for some time for what he had done, especially in the Akatsuki's attempt to capture Naruto. Would she be able to restrain herself, or would she need a 'heads up'?

The words of his Hokage quickly came to mind: "And…This is top secret, if I find any of you spills the beans on Uchiha's return you all get kindergarten duty for a week and the only missions you will ever receive if you're lucky will be D rank for the rest of your miserable lives." Neji had always been loyal to his Hokage, one to obey the rules, but then again he had never been in this situation before, he cared so much for Sakura, should he blow it? He had to make the decision now, they were about to enter her office...

**

Sasuke felt like he was frozen in a moment of time he stared at the 'hunting rifle' in front of him, eyes wide with fear, not knowing what to do, all he could do was wait for that agonizing moment.

There was another loud bang, Ibiki watched as Sasuke's chains gave way and he fell into the hole before him, Ibiki slowly made his way over to the grave.

**

"Sakura!" she turned around, as did lee and Tenten, they looked at him knowingly, he returned a stern glance, "we need to talk, Sakura" he pulled her towards him, still giving Tenten and lee 'the look' they both bowed their heads slightly and walked into the office. The corridor was finally empty apart from Sakura and Neji. He led her to a seat and motioned her to sit.

"Sakura, first I want to apologise-" he was cut off by Sakura.

"Why... Neji, you've done nothing wrong!" Sakura giggled.

"No, please listen, I want to apologise for not telling you sooner, you see a few months ago, I brought in an S rank criminal, and I was sworn to secrecy by Tsunade, but I should have told you!" he paused.

"Neji, if you were sworn, you shouldn't tell me, and you don't have to!" she smiled warmly and placed her hand on his knee, she pushed herself up still looking into his silver eyes, then she slowly turned and made for the office.

"It's Sasuke!" Neji Spoke and Sakura span round looking straight at him, "I'm sorry!"

Sakura's eyes were wide with shock, hurt, anger, her body was limp and leaned against the wall, as the words seemed to dawn on her she slid down the wall, tears rolling down her face until she finally broke down into hysterical tears! Neji at this point felt unbelievably uncomfortable, he could deal with many things, but tears where not one of them, he had no idea what to do! He sat down next to her and put an awkward hand round her and pulled her into a hug, Sakura melted into his embrace, it would have looked really romantic if Neji's face didn't look so scared.

(Authors note: So how did you like that one, I really wanted to have both things going on... sorry if that was a little too emotional with everything that went on with Sakura, Neji and Sasuke! I promise to update within 2 weeks, but please show appreciation and review I love to hear how I can better myself so please do!)


	8. Discovering Many Truths

(Authors note: Within two weeks as promised! Please read and review and thanks for all the alerts and fave's)

Chapter 8 – Discovering many truths

Neji lifted Sakura back to a standing position and looked into her teary emerald eyes. A small amount of mascara had run down her cheek, Neji's thumb gently rubbed it away. She looked so beautiful, yet there was anger inside, and a look of un-forgiveness. Neji saw it was aimed at the man she would probably meet today!

As Neji held her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes, she saw so much empathy, and something she thought slightly resembled love! His embrace managed to take away the tears, right there and then she felt safe, like the rest of her life she had been home-sick and now she was home.

"Don't let him take anymore from you!" Neji spoke finally, "Don't even let him know that he can affect you, he's not worth it Sakura!" he pulled her again into a warm embrace, though it was awkward for him, he knew that it made things better for Sakura! "You know he can't take anymore without you letting him!"

And with that Sakura stood up straight and sighed shaking her head and wiping the last few tears from her face.

"Can you tell that I cried Neji?" Neji shook his head and led her into the office. There was Gai with Lee and Tenten. Kakashi was sat on the other end of the office with a small group of chairs. As Neji went to sit with his team Sakura jogged straight over to Kakashi and sat right next to him. Somehow Kakashi seemed to know that something had happened and his arm went around Sakura's shoulder and pulled her into a 'daddy hug' and to Sakura this fixed everything.

After about 10 minutes of waiting Naruto and Sai waltzed in. Obviously they hadn't thought it strange that such a large team meeting had been arranged, apparently this was completely normal and it couldn't mean a national crisis! As they sat down Tsunade shuffled some papers and took a swig of sake.

"You're probably wondering why I have summoned you all here, well I have an announcement to make, one that I'm sure will bring joy to many of you, and that may make some of you believe I am in fact a complete baka!" she smiled, like she had made a joke, but obviously she had failed at being humorous.

"Anyway without further or do, next year I will be going into retirement, and Naruto will be taking over as Hokage!" Sakura was speechless! She jumped up and gave Naruto a hug!

"YOU DID IT NARUTO!!" she beamed at him, "you got your dream, all your work paid off! I'm so proud of you!" then it dawned on her that Tsunade was still going to hide from her the fact that Sasuke was in Konoha, and the joy slightly slipped from her face and a look of betrayal began to replace it! After all Tsunade knew how she felt about Sasuke, she knew it would be a touchy subject and she's just going to leave it!

Her anger tipped over the limit and she span round with amazing speed and looked straight at her sensei, rage evident on her face. Tsunade didn't seem to understand, her face was puzzled by Sakura's rather schizophrenic reaction to the news!

"So are you going to tell us? Or are you going to let us live in the dark for a few more months?" Sakura walked over to the desk she slammed her fists down, it burst into splinters. Kakashi rushed over to try and restrain her! Tsunade obviously didn't quite understand.

"Sakura, I just told you now, I haven't been sitting on the decision for months, Naruto only found out last night!" she swept over the subject believing that Sakura had simply wished she had known sooner!

"That isn't what I'm talking about!" Sakura walked over to her Hokage she was but inches from her face, "WHEN WHERE YOU GOING TO TELL US SASUKE IS BACK!!" she screamed, anger filled the room! Tsunade was dumb struck she didn't know what to say! "So...why didn't you tell me!? You knew how it would make me feel!!" tears ran down her face, "I just can't believe you!"

"Sakura" Tsunade began. "I'm your sensei and you Hokage-" she was cut off.

"THAT JUST MAKES THE BETRAYAL ALL THE WORSE!" she shouted.

"Maybe, but I have to think what's best for our people Sakura not you!" Tsunade replied. "I knew this would be your reaction, AND YOU'D SCREAM UNTIL THE WHOLE VILLAGE KNEW ABOUT IT!" she finished.

"You actually know crap all about me! I always thought we were one of those really close student teacher teams, you know the ones that look out for each other, the ones that are like family, BUT YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT ME! This isn't my reaction to Sasuke coming back, my reaction to Sasuke coming back was about 15minutes ago outside your office and YOU DIDNT EVEN NOTICE! This RAGE is for YOU!!! Because you betrayed me, someone had to break the rules because they know me better than you!" at that moment a guard walked in the room and bowed to Tsunade.

"Are you ready Tsunade-Sama?" he asked eyeing the mass of wood and paperwork covering her floor.

"One more moment please, thank you" she replied she had relaxed somewhat and motioned for Sakura to take a seat, which she reluctantly took, still looking rather sullen. "As you have all probably gathered, Naruto's promotion wasn't the only news I had for you today, Sasuke is back, and he has been under Ibiki's torture for the past few months, which is the reason that none of you knew that he was here. Also another thing that I was supposed to go over before you found out that Sasuke had come back was that your teams are being shuffled!" she finished what she was saying and pulled up a chair and sat down as if waiting for another one of Sakura's temper tantrums.

Sakura just sat silently though her face told everyone in the room what she thought of the plan to shuffle teams! Seeing that all was calm...well sort off the Hokage continued.

"Naruto will not be on either team as he will be working closely with me until he takes over completely as Hokage, Sai will be moving to team Gai and Neji will be moving to team Kakashi, once all team mates have passed their Jonin test, I want Kakashi's team to become a specialized ANBU squad, the squad that is in charge of protecting the Hokage and they go on missions that he deems need the highest quality ninja!" Tsunade finished and was about to signal to the guard when Kakashi butted in.

"Our team is one man down, I refuse to be part of such a team if I can't have a full cell!" he said like he meant it, and he did, Kakashi seemed a little too familiar with figures of authority.

"I am, in-fact about to introduce the last member of your cell Kakashi!" she waved to the guard, who brought a prisoner into the office, he was dirty and you could see his mangled tatty hair underneath the hood over his head. His body was extremely malnourished and you could see most of his bones. When he walked you could see the fatigue and a massive lack of strength and yet he still walked as tall and as proud as he could, it was of Sasuke!

Sakura walked over to the chair that he was sat on and knelt before him; her hands lightly stroked the silken Uchiha robes that he wore. Then her hand gingerly moved up to the hood masking his face and she gently lifted it to see a face that only slightly resembled Sasuke, his cheeks were hollowed and his skin was a sickly pale colour, there were great circles round his eyes and he had many bruises. She looked him in the eyes and saw tears roll down his face.

"He's going to protect the future Hokage?!" Sakura laughed! "He has tried to kill Naruto on more than one occasion, HE JOINED THE AKATSUKI! HE DESERVES DEATH!"

"You hate me!" a strange voice spoke out, more tears came as if the words signalled an onslaught of emotion. As he looked into her eyes he saw sadness, pity and yet still a whole lot of anger, and he knew these conflicting emotions were all aimed at him. And in that moment Sasuke collapsed, Sakura caught him and pushed him back into the chair.

"He needs immediate medical attention if you want him to work as a Genin, never mind ANBU!" she spat.

"That's what I wanted to ask you Sakura, would you mind taking one of your students and tend to Sasuke until he is Healthy. I will be having a meeting with your whole team as to what is to be done about him! My only order is that one member of the new team Kakashi should be watching over Sasuke at all times!" Tsunade was finished, she sat down. "Excuse me could I have a new desk brought in straight away please" she gathered up her papers and said no more.

A door to the side of the Hokage's office opened and a new desk was brought in straight away, officers immediately began to clean away the old one. In the back of the secret room there were many other spare desks, after all this was a regular occurrence.

With that Sakura and Neji picked up Sasuke and walked out heading presumably for the hospital. The rest of the team members left after them leaving Naruto alone with Tsunade.

"You still want this job Naruto?" she asked.

"Believe it!" he replied smirking.

**

Before long Sakura had Sasuke in the hospital and in a private room, she had him stabilized; most of all Sasuke needed nourishment, though it was a tight situation as malnutrition of this extent was difficult to come back from. Luckily for Sakura, Sasuke spent most of his time unconscious so she didn't have to deal with questions on why she seemed so worried about his health and yet on the other hand only hours before she wished death on him.

She supposed that part of her still felt that he was part of the team; after all they still chased him, trying to "save" him many years after he joined the Akatsuki! I suppose it never really mattered what he did because they always believed his excuse... even after he killed Itachi! All anyone could put it down to be Sasuke had been like family and for a long time she loved him like a brother even though he had long stopped caring for them.

Sakura felt is cold hand as she gently inserted a needle for his IV, after connecting everything she flicked the tube gently to encourage the precious liquids to flow to Sasuke's body. She then picked up a chart at the bottom of the bed. Her pen scribbled the drugs that he would be on and the exact amounts. Just at that moment Neji walked into the room with the results from Sasuke's blood test.

"I'm afraid things don't look good!" Neji commented handing over the results. Sakura looked at them examining them closely then adjusted the IV.

"Neji, could you use Byukyugan and make a full list off as Sasuke's injuries and basically anything that we can heal" she smiled and walked out of the room. She walked down the corridor to a store cupboard and began pulling various supplies from the shelves. She knew what she needed and there was an air of confidence about her as she walked about the hospital helping people and administering medication.

When Sakura got back she scanned the list that Neji had made. He had a lot of broken bones, and many of his organs where going to need immediate attention. Before long Sakura had Neji setting Sasuke's broken bones, whilst Sakura began the long and arduous task of trying to heal the many damaged organs!

(Authors note: again not as long as I would like but I found that I couldn't really get into the chapter... not as much as when I was torturing Sasuke anyway!! lol but I swear things are going to get good soon!)


End file.
